SHIMLA, Sep 5: BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut has voiced support for setting up schools run by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Himachal Pradesh if the Bharatiya Janata Party returns to power in the state.
Ranaut, who represents the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, made the remarks after chairing a meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) in Mandi.
Her comments came amid a political debate in West Bengal over Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s proposal to establish at least 1,000 institutions associated with Vidya Bharati, the RSS’s education wing.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Ranaut said she would welcome the introduction of similar initiatives in Himachal Pradesh under a future BJP government. She described the proposal as a positive step that could be replicated in other parts of the country.
The actor-turned-politician also praised the RSS for its social service activities and described the organisation as a source of national pride. She pointed to the network of schools and educational programmes associated with the organisation, particularly those aimed at providing opportunities to children outside major urban centres.
Ranaut said educational initiatives linked to the RSS, including Eklavya Model Schools and programmes supporting students preparing for competitive examinations such as NEET, could help children from rural and remote areas access better opportunities.
The BJP MP also criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) over its opposition to the West Bengal proposal and allegations of the “saffronisation” of education.
She accused the TMC of using the issue for political purposes and alleged that the party was attempting to create divisions rather than support initiatives that, in her view, serve the national interest.
Meanwhile, Vidya Bharati is preparing to expand its presence in West Bengal. According to officials, the organisation plans to establish schools across all 345 blocks of the state over the coming years.
The proposal has drawn criticism from opposition leaders.
AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the idea of the government supporting schools affiliated with the RSS and argued that public resources should instead be directed towards strengthening government-run institutions.
Reacting to Adhikari’s announcement, Bharadwaj questioned how the state government could make the establishment of RSS-affiliated schools an official objective and suggested that the focus should remain on expanding government schools.
The controversy in West Bengal has now brought the issue of RSS-linked educational institutions into the political discourse in Himachal Pradesh, with Ranaut openly backing their expansion should the BJP form the next government in the state.